1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the automatic piloting of a vehicle allowing the lateral avoidance of a fixed zone, for example a zone which it is forbidden to traverse.
2. Discussion of the Background
It applies in particular, but not exclusively, to the automatic piloting of an aerodyne whose initially planned route traverses a fixed zone with predefined contours which must be bypassed, while entry thereto is prohibited.
Such a situation occurs for example when, during the flight, the pilot receives a message prohibiting him from overflying a zone situated on his route. Such cases arise in particular when there is a prohibition to overfly a zone of air space, such as a military zone or a state.
Such information is, for example, received by the aerodyne by way of a device for transmitting digital data, for example a Data-Link, and has been sent by a ground station. The contours of the zone to be avoided figure within the on-board documentation, or else are transmitted by the ground station.
Currently, it is up to the pilot to handle the problem manually, by carrying out avoidance within sight of the zone, these operations having to take account of a considerable number of parameters, and in particular, of the regulations in force within the air space traversed, of the performance of the aerodyne, and of the weight of fuel in its tanks. Moreover, it may happen that the pilot receives such information only a very short time before entering the prohibited zone, and in many cases, this time is insufficient to enable him to take into account all the necessary parameters for determining the best avoidance trajectory.